Ondo: Jimoh Ibrahim may defect to APC

Indications have emerged that Jimoh Ibrahim may lead his team of supporters and followers out of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the All Progressives Congress (APC), ahead of the Ondo State governorship election, scheduled for Saturday.

This followed the decision, on Thursday, by a five- man panel of Supreme Court justices, led by the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, striking out another appeal filed by the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of PDP.

The motion filed at the apex court by Sheriff’s faction was contesting the decision by the Court of Appeal that allowed Eyitayo Jedege to be party in the case challenging the judgment of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court.

The panel struck out the motion on the ground that it had been overtaken by the judgment of Appeal Court that recognised Jegede as the authentic candidate of PDP, instead of Jimoh Ibrahim in the Ondo governorship election.

While the Supreme Court is yet to fix a date to hear the appeals filed by Sheriff’s faction in respect of the judgment, on Wednesday, of the appellate court which gave recognition to Jegede, a source within Ibrahim’s camp told Nigerian Tribune that he had already decided to leave PDP for APC.

“It is true that Jimoh Ibrahim approached the Supreme Court to confirm who the authentic candidate of PDP for the Ondo State governorship election is.

“But I can authoritatively tell you that he has instructed his supporters to defect and work for the APC governorship candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, in case the judgment of the Supreme Court is not in his favour.

“Ibrahim has been holding series of long talks with the Minister of Natural Resources, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in respect of shifting his loyalty to APC in case things go wrong.

“As things are now, and with the election holding on Saturday, there is no going back; the supporters of Jimoh Ibrahim are just waiting for the final instruction from him before dumping PDP for APC,” the source said.